Web of Lies
by EccentricFangirl777
Summary: Agent Lucy Heartfilia thought that investigating underground guild Fairy Tail and its supposed leader, Top Priority Fugitive Natsu Dragneel, would be a relatively normal task. But what would happen if the web of lies she spun to trap the guild traps her instead?
1. The Mission

_**Date of revision: 16 Oct., 2017**_

 _ **Minor changes only.**_

 **Fairy Tail does not belong to me, but my OCs do!**

* * *

 _It hurt._

 _The young girl shivered on the hard floors of the jail, the cold seeping through the rips and tears of her thin clothing. Her arms wrapped around her torso, her right hand applying pressure on the wound on her side, and she cried out as a pain similar to a thousand needles piercing infected flesh lanced through her side. She squeezed her eyes shut, humming a familiar simple tune to take her mind off the pain._

 _Cold arms enveloped her quivering body, but she shied away with a desperate plea, not wanting to be touched by yet another human being. "Shhh, Lucy, it's only me." At his soft voice, Lucy released a desperate wail, relaxing and leaning into his trusted arms. "What happened? What did they do?" His hands ghosted over the cuts and bruises, and she winced when they touched a particularly sore spot. "Shit," he hissed when he noticed the state of her back and side._

 _"That's a bad word," Lucy mumbled, giggling as pure exhaustion settled deep into her muscles. Her eyelids fluttered, but a gentle shake of her shoulders prevented her from lapsing into much needed sleep. She groaned._

 _"Stay with me, Luce," he pleaded. "Don't close your eyes."_

 _"I'll handle her," a new voice said. "You can give her to me. You can trust me." Lucy smiled, recognizing the lower and smooth timbre of the voice. Her arms, shaking, lifted towards the new voice, and a new pair of arms- much larger and warmer than the first- enveloped her slack body. "It's okay, Lucy, I'm here."_

 _Lucy smiled again, her eyelids drooping lazily once more. "Loke," she mumbled before the darkness welcomed her with open arms._

* * *

"Lord Gurney wishes to see you, Agent Lucy." Almost all talking ceased as eyes turned to the apathetic blonde sitting in the corner of the mess hall, alone. Whispers arose, people talking and gossiping amongst themselves.

"Lord _Gurney_?"

"What would the head want with her?"

"She's the best agent we've got. Is it really that much of a surprise?"

"Wait, wait, she's in the special force, isn't she?"

"Of course _she_ would be summoned. I'm so jealous…."

"Maybe he'll give her a promotion?"

"She'll be the head of the Council at this rate."

Without a word, Lucy abruptly stood, the chair she was sitting in clattering harshly onto the floor, and a dark aura surrounded her and choked those around her. It was so damn annoying when people gossiped, so much so when they did it right in front of the person herself. She walked towards Takashi, her heels clicking almost ominously against the tiled floor and left a trail of silence in her wake. Lucy smirked, the first sign of emotion shown all morning. ' _Good_ ,' she thought. ' _Gossip when I'm gone, you fools._ '

Lucy followed the quiet man through the twisting hallways of the complex building. "What does Lord Gurney want with me today, Takashi?"

"The full details were not relayed to me, but I believe he has a mission for you."

"Another? Only two days have passed since my last one."

"It seems that this one is of the most importance, Lucy." Lucy nodded, and the rest of the journey to the head of the Anti-Magic Department was filled with silence.

Finally, they reached large, oaken doors, the insignia of the Department carved into the middle, gold glinting against the dull backdrop of the dim lights. Takashi opened the door, bowing slightly as she stepped in. "Lord Gurney," Lucy murmured, dropping her right knee to the ground, her left knee bent and right fist over her chest. Her eyes remained closed, head bent in a position of respect until the Head spoke.

"Miss Heartfilia," the lord said, "you may rise." Lucy heeded his words, her brown eyes meeting Gurney's. A picture of calculated confidence, the man had his hands clasped on his lacquered desk, his steel-gray eyes coldly observing the two before him. A scar marred his otherwise handsome face, but for Lucy, the knowledge of his cruel deeds against mages and non-mages alike forever blemished him as the nastiest man alive to her. "Lieutenant Takashi, I ask that you please leave the two of us alone. Miss Heartfilia and I have matters to discuss privately." The young man nodded stiffly, his eyes briefly meeting with Lucy's in a rare display of worry. Slowly rising, Takashi exited the room, never once raising his head or showing his back to the lord, the large oaken doors closing behind him with a click. "Lucy Heartfilia," Gurney purred, his silky-smooth voice sending unpleasant chills down Lucy's spine, "you've heard of the rogue group of mages who call themselves Fairy Tail, I presume?"

"Of course. My team and I once attempted to gather intel on the underground guild, but they proved to be quite evasive." She inwardly winced, rolling her shoulders as she remembered the severe punishment she received for her team when they came back empty handed.

Gurney smiled at her unconscious action. "They're a relatively new group, but they've been proving to be a huge pain in our ass for quite a while now. Fortunately, after months and months of surveying, we finally gathered enough intel to know where their main HQ is and who their leader is. Well… more or less." He hummed noncommittally, taking out a Manila folder and passing it to her. "Sit, this is going to take a while." Lucy silently sat on one of the leather chairs near her and opened the file. She stared down at the blurry picture of a cloaked man, the hood down to reveal spiky, pink hair. Something niggled at the back of her mind— _she had seen him before, but where?_ — but she quickly squashed it, focusing instead on Gurney's words. "Salamander, otherwise known as Natsu Dragneel," Gurney said, and recognition flashed in her eyes, "suspected leader of the underground guild known as Fairy Tail. He is supposedly a user of fire magic, if the states of the towns he was reportedly seen in were any indication. The degree of damage is quite severe, so we assume that he possesses not just any ordinary style of fire magic— if anything, we assume that it's dragon slayer magic."

Lucy's head snapped up, her eyebrows rising in disbelief. "Dragon slayer magic? But isn't that style a lost art?"

"It is, which is why it puts him as Top Priority Fugitive, along with his other companions." Lucy flipped to the other page, this time holding a picture of a half-naked man wielding a spear made of ice and a redheaded woman wearing armor of seemingly impregnable steel and a gleaming sword in her hands. Both mages were next to a cloaked figure that was no doubt Natsu Dragneel, their faces twisted in fierce concentration. All three held defensive stances, fighting an unseen enemy in the thick woods Lucy assumed was near Worth Woodsea. "The woman on the right of Salamander is the feared Titania, holder of Requip magic unlike any, making her a dangerous foe for us and the country."

"Wait, wait, wait." Lucy tapped the face of the ferocious woman. "Erza Scarlet," she said. "She was captured by Delta Team years prior until she escaped months after her capture. Are you telling me we had the infamous _Titania_ in our grasp and allowed her to escape right after?"

A vicious sneer twisted Gurney's face, and he leaned forward, his face inches away from Lucy's own. "Incompetent people tend to lose the most, don't they, Lucy?" Lucy gave no response, her own eyes boring into Gurney as if it were a challenge, absolutely refusing to allow the fear paralyzing her insides to show. The tension in the room slowly climbed until Gurney relaxed, leaning back into his chair, his face back to the emotionless façade she knew. As if nothing had happened, he continued, only his tight voice belying his collected form, "While we do have her identity in our records, what use is a name if we do not have the person, Miss Heartfilia?" Lucy pursed her lips as Gurney pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Anyways," he said, "the boy to Salamander's left is Gray Fullbuster, also known as the Ice Maestro. With a great arsenal of ice magic spells to his bidding, Gray and his ice alone had defeated several of my and Fernandes's teams. We assume that it was because of his mentor— Ur, a former candidate for the Ten Wizard Saints prior to the Isvan Conflict— Gray is able to have such an impressive hold over his ice magic."

"Hmm," Lucy hummed, her eyes narrowing in recognition upon hearing Ur's name. As a powerful mage— so powerful that she was a contender for becoming one of the Ten Wizard Saints, a title given to ten powerful mages from the former Magic Council that helped rule over the Ishgar peninsula— Ur had been a huge advocate for the use of magic, which many citizens feared due to the many corrupt mages that terrorized them, even taking in two orphans to teach them her style of magic. Unfortunately, the betrayal of her daughter, Ultear Milkovich, and a beast borne from very dark magic— the demon Deliora, Lucy recalled— led to the powerful mage sacrificing herself. The carnage left behind from the beast, one of the casualties being one of Ur's students, led to a huge uproar— the Isvan Conflict, which many considered to be the driving point of the Fiore Rebellion and resulting war. "Do you think that his powers surpass even Ur's own?"

"Unfortunately so," Gurney confirmed grimly. "Because of him, Titania, and Salamander, many more of our citizens are in danger of the magic they claim to be ' _harmless_ ,'" he spat.

Lucy ignored Gurney's obvious disgust and focused on the lone picture in the files. "They're a team," Lucy murmured, recognizing the synergy of the trio even past the stillness of a photograph. "For Fairy Tail…" Lucy frowned, the cogs in her brain spinning once she realized something, or, rather, the lack of.

"Yes," Gurney said, his eyes on the younger girl, "the most dangerous. They've recruited several potential mages and mages-in-hiding and, on more than one occasion, broke into high-security prisons to retrieve their guildmates and allies. Their most recent raid was two months ago in Shirotsume, where they freed the Twin Dragons. We are unsure of their current location or what the trio's next task is."

"And you want me to capture them before they do any more damage."

"More or less. Go to the next page." Lucy followed his order, her eyes roving over the information on the page as Gurney elaborated, "As I've said before, one of my teams— along with a couple of Fernandes's— managed to track down the main headquarters of the Fairy Tail guild to an inconspicuous pub in Magnolia's city center." Lucy stared at the rather homey, two-story building nestled between much larger ones, a scarlet sign reading, ' _The Dragon's Head_.' Had she not been told that it housed rebels threatening to overthrow the fragile peace in Fiore, she would've overlooked the tiny place. "I want you to infiltrate their so-called ' _guild_.'"

Lucy met Gurney's eyes, her eyebrows quirking. "Wouldn't it be easier to capture Fairy Tail's strongest and only team instead? Fairy Tail acts on a set of morals— if their actions were any indication— and rescuing guildmates and allies seem to be one of their main principles, especially if one of the captured is their leader."

"Lucy, Lucy, Lucy. Have you not been paying attention at all to any of past happenings, or, at the very least, what I said?" Lucy bristled, highly offended at the jab to her intelligence. "While breaking out those close to them is a constant theme, the fairies are careful little bastards. Because of them, my authority is not as potent as it used to be." He gritted his teeth as his eyes lost focus for just a second; had Lucy not been as trained as she was, she wouldn't have noticed such a moment of weakness. "I no longer can capture fugitives based on suspicions alone. No, we need substantial evidence. That's where you come in. We want a permanent solution, something that will bring those pesky little fairies to their knees." A smirk slowly crept its way onto his face, and the hairs on the back of her neck stood. "And what better way than to infiltrate their guild, earn their trust, and _kill_ Natsu Dragneel?"

* * *

 _"One year is more than enough time to earn their trust. Unfortunately, it also means you'll be gone from daily procedures for one year. To remedy that, you will write a report that you will send monthly, on the basis that it is a novel you are writing in case someone asks."_

She packed little despite the long mission ahead, but she decided it would be better to buy clothes once she reached Magnolia. After all, her new persona often traveled, and as one previously herself, travelers always packed light. She brushed her hair, now only barely touching her shoulders, satisfied at the crass and almost uneven way it looked; it wasn't perfect, but she wasn't looking for perfect. At least, Lucy Ashley didn't.

 _"Your new name is Lucy Ashley, age 23. Your father died in the rebellion, and you were left fending for yourself in the streets in Crocus after the death of your mother, keeping your magic a secret in fear of being identified as a mage. Upon hearing of the Fairy Tail guild and their mission, you scoured Fiore in search of them. It's not exactly a sob story, but it's vague, yet believable enough. Meanwhile, changing your appearance is entirely up to you. All the mages you helped capture are either on our side or still rotting in prison. There is no way for those fairies to recognize you, even for someone your status." There he paused. "You've done a wonderful job with your enigmatic identity, Lucy Heartfilia."_

She left with Takashi before daybreak, the stars and soft glow of the street lights being their only sources of light. The cloaks they wore to protect their identity were usually used for keeping warmth, any decorum that their titles held achingly absent from their person. To any observing outsider, the two were just a normal couple out on an early walk, and they would rather keep it that way. Subtlety was their friend, both as soldiers of the Council and as spies for the country.

 _"Although we will provide you with an apartment, we will only pay for the first two weeks upon your arrival, so I recommend that you get a job to pay for your stay there. A drawback, yes, but it will draw much suspicion if you don't have a job yet still be able to pay for rent."_

The train station was void of all people, the hour being far too early for most citizens in Crocus. The train that would take Lucy to Magnolia slowly chugged into view, the sounds seeming like thunder against the silent backdrop of the early morning. Takeshi handed the bag in his hands to Lucy and saluted. "Good luck, agent," he murmured in his language, inclining his head in respect. Lucy nodded tersely, allowing a sliver of a smile to ghost her lips.

 _"Your story and life must be fluid, no holes whatsoever, so most, if not all, details about yourself should be personal. It is, however, likely that the fairies have a memory mage to verify your story, which is why this vial here is to be taken daily. Further instructions will be on the paper here."_

Her legs stretched out, Lucy settled down on the comfy seat of the train compartment, her arms crossed behind her neck.

 _"Oh, and Lucy?"_

Lucy glanced out the slowly lightening sky, taking in the beauty of the last twinkling stars.

 _"If you fail to complete this mission…"_

Her fingers tapped against the wooden armrest.

 _"... I will_ _ **kill**_ _your precious little son with my bare hands."_

Her eyes closed.

' _Fuck you, Gurney. He's your son, too._ '

* * *

 **So the last line wasn't even supposed to be there, but I decided to be nice and give you guys a little more background to Lucy's dark past.**

 **Estimated Word Count: 2800 words**

 **If you guys have any questions, feel free to ask! I'll answer them to the best of my abilities!**


	2. Meeting Team Natsu

**And so, we meet the infamous Fairy Tail team...**

* * *

"Maybe you shouldn't open your mouth next time, Flame Brain."

"If I didn't, we wouldn't have gotten in a fight in the first place, Ice Princess!"

"That's why you shouldn't have talked at all, Dumb Fuck!" The two boys glared at each other, their noses nearly touching. Smoke billowed from Natsu's mouth as a freezing aura surrounded Gray.

Before anything else could escalate, however, hands grabbed both of their scalps and slammed their heads together. The two boys teetered dangerously on their feet, their eyes momentarily blinded as the world exploded into white around them. "Shut up, you idiots," Erza snarled, her eyes glinting dangerously. "You're giving me a headache."

A blue cat wearing a green backpack settled on Erza's head, his fists on his hips, laughing hysterically at the two boys. "Erza's got you good!" A hand pulled Happy's swishing tail, and the cat yelped when he felt the ground— in this case, Erza's head— beneath his feet disappear.

"That includes you, Happy."

Happy harrumphed, this time flying to Natsu. "Is Erza on that time—" Before he could continue, Natsu covered his friend's mouth. Natsu and Gray turned to Erza, their eyes wide as they attempted to calm the ticking redhead.

"Erza, you know he doesn't mean it!"

"He doesn't understand what puberty is!"

Erza rolled her eyes before she felt the lacrima stored in her bag vibrate. She quickly grabbed her bag, her hand disappearing as she felt for the sphere. "What is it, Erza?" Gray asked, his arms crossed across his now bare chest.

"It's Makarov," Erza replied, her eyes set on the lacrima. "Gray, your clothes." The man cursed, quickly grabbing the shirt and cloak lying on the dirt. "Master, what is it?" she asked, the other three crowding around her as they peered into the glowing lacrima.

"Where are you? Are you anywhere near the main center?"

Shaking away the initial shock at Makarov's terse and abrupt question, Erza replied, "We're just entering Magnolia in the eastern side, near the forest. Why?"

Makarov's withered face flickered every so often, but the worry was clear on his face. "A few soldiers— no doubt Gurney's men judging by their uniforms— were seen occupying the pub, and they're showing no signs of moving any time soon. I don't recommend coming in until tomorrow morning at the earliest."

The teammates exchanged disturbed glances. "Do you think Gurney knows? Could he have sent them?" Silence.

"Gramps!" Natsu said, annoyance lacing his voice. "Do they know?"

Makarov slowly exhaled, his fingers pinching his nose. "There's always a possibility, but I think they're just here for a night out." His attempt to assuage their fears did nothing, but Erza still appreciated the effort. She sent Natsu a stern look over the lacrima, willing him to calm himself. "I know it may seem impossible, but I want you all to relax and not worry about it. As of right now, the soldiers haven't shown any signs of suspicion, but I absolutely refuse to have our guard down. I will send you a quick message if anything starts to go south."

Erza nodded, worrying her lip— a habit her friends would often point out— as she mentally calculated their next steps. "Yes, Master. We'll try to find an inn in the outskirts."

"I'm sorry, my children, but it is too risky for you to show your faces right now. Please, be safe." With that, the lacrima flickered, turning back to what seemed like a normal, globular paperweight adorned with nondescript designs.

"That doesn't help us at all," Gray grumbled, crossing his arms, angered that he couldn't do much to help his family.

Erza sighed, stuffing the lacrima back inside her bag. "Let's have a little more faith in Mira and the others. They'll notify us immediately, and we'll be on our guard."

"All night long?" Happy questioned, frowning.

Erza rubbed her forehead in frustration. "Dammit, that mission took a lot longer than it should've. If I hadn't insisted on a longer route, maybe—'

"No, Erza, we couldn't have done anything; you were just choosing the safer route, _like it should be_ ," Gray cut in. "What's done is done. Like you said, let's place a little more trust in our companions." He placed a thoughtful hand on his chin. "It's probably better we were caught up with our mission, actually. If we had arrived earlier, the soldiers could've caught a glimpse of us, and everything we've ever worked for would've crumbled right then and there."

"Natsu?" At the high-pitched, alarmed tone of Happy's voice, the two mages turned to the cat, who was staring at Natsu. The pink-haired male had his nose in the air, taking deep breaths as his body took on an aggressive stance.

"Shit!" Natsu hissed. He spun to his friends, his eyes wide and pupils dilated. "Guys, someone's coming!"

No other words were exchanged, but Erza and Gray swiftly ran after Natsu, trusting in him and his heightened sense of smell to get them to a safer route. Happy quickly took to the air to survey any other additional routes and an empty building or vacant hotel. It was a regular, almost mundane, routine for the group, but necessary, especially in times needing high alert and attention like the one they were in at the moment.

Seemingly after an eternity, the mages stopped in an opening in the forest, resting against a lonely stump of a tree sitting near an overgrown road. Gasping for breath, Natsu said, "It was male, the person I smelled. He was drunk, but I wanted to be safe."

"Better safe than sorry," Gray wheezed. "Though I wish we stopped after a couple seconds, that took a lot in me."

Natsu snorted. "Then you should exercise more, Gray. I see a little flab on your abs." He grinned to himself, no doubt proud that his insult had rhymed— at least in his head.

"There's no way— oh shit." Gray began to curse again, once again finding his clothes in the floor.

"At least you kept your boxers— ugh, never mind." Erza turned her head away, her face pinching in disgust. "If I catch you without your underwear on one more time, I _will_ decapitate your head." Gray became as pale as the moon, his hands shielding his crotch from Erza. Natsu snickered, his hand over his mouth, trying his best not to let Erza hear him, to no success. "Do you have something to say, Natsu?" The dragon slayer stopped laughing, placing his hands up in surrender.

A peaceful silence overtook the group, the three friends simply enjoying the cool breeze of the evening air as they laid on the grass. It was rare to have peaceful moments like these, even during downtime. Their lives were always filled with fighting, even if it was, at the very least, silly disputes among friends.

But sometimes, calm time was too much downtime. Erza glanced at the rising moon, noting with worry that the sun had just begun to set when Natsu noticed the man coming their way. Natsu was beginning to pace back and forth. "Where's Happy? Is he okay? Why isn't he back yet?"

Gray looked at Erza. "Should we go into the city, Erza?"

Erza bit her lip, in a dilemma. Being in the city meant a higher chance in attracting Gurney's men, both possible spies and soldiers, but it also meant they could save Happy if he were ever in trouble. With a heavy heart, Erza shook her head. "Let's wait a bit more." Natsu pursed his lips, but he understood; it was just agonizing to have friends gone for a few minutes with the possibility of them never coming back. It wasn't the first time it happened to Natsu— or any of them, for that matter— but he didn't want to experience it again, especially for someone who was in his life for a long time.

Finally, after what seemed like years, Happy flew into Natsu's hair, a wide grin on his face. "Guys, I found a restaurant! It's still open, but no one's there!"

"What if the person at the counter recognizes us?"

"It's only a worker, Erza."

" _Spies_ —"

Gray shook his head, smirking. "After what happened in Hargeon? There's no way Gurney would send out any more of his men outside of the routine checkup, not with the king and vice head of the Council breathing down his back. He'll be stretching himself too thin, and if the king ever found out, he'll be disgraced."

Erza frowned, the holes in the logic begging her to refuse, but seeing bags under her friends's eyes were more than enough for her to brush away her worries. "Fine." She held out a hand to silence their excited whoops. "But we have to wear our cloaks. Happy," she nodded to the beaming cat, "lead the way."

Happy led them to a darker part in Magnolia, a part in the city where the gas lights were just out of reach. He stopped in front of a quaint restaurant, rundown but homey. The lights were dim, but they could make out a person-a girl, judging from her slight profile- sitting behind a counter, her head bent in concentration. Like what Happy said, there was no one inside other than the blonde employee, and it was more than enough for her.

Opening the door, Erza and the boys entered the restaurant, the faint aroma of food filling their nostrils. The girl looked up just as Natsu's stomach growled. "Hi," Erza said. "Are you still open?"

The girl smiled, standing up. "I'll be closing up soon, but I can get you guys some food while I finish these." She waved to a stack of papers, her pretty face pinching in annoyance. "Other than that, please, sit anywhere." Erza smiled as the girl gestured for them to sit, and the three chose the booth in the corner. The girl came to them moments later, handing them menus from the pocket in her apron. "Just call me when you guys have your orders."

"Thanks," Gray paused, looking up from the menu to get a glimpse of her name tag. "Miss Lucy."

Lucy smiled, nodding. "No problem." She walked away, settling back behind the counter with her head bent, hands flying as she wrote quickly.

Barely a minute had passed since the menus were handed to them, but Natsu was already stuck choosing between the dish we would order. "That cheeseburger looks good… ooh, no the hot pot. Erza, please, we have to get the hot pot!" Natsu turned to his friend, a pout on his lips and his eyes wide as he attempted to convince Erza with his cutest impersonation of puppy. Gray sniggered, seeing instead a dying fish flopping all over the ground as it attempted to breathe.

He frowned. ' _I really need to think of_ less _morbid metaphors._ '

Erza, meanwhile, was getting highly uncomfortable with Natsu's fish-like expression. "Okay," she conceded and sighed in relief when he turned back to the menu, now bearing a wide grin. She looked back at the menu, eyebrows furrowing in concentration as she surveyed her options. The restaurant served homey food, from hamburgers to fries to several soups. There were also a couple other options from several different parts of Earthland, but that wasn't what she was interested in. She flipped to the dessert section and practically salivated at the pictures of the several cakes and pies, one especially capturing her interest.

"Erza, please don't waste all our money on cake," Gray said, concerned at the lustful expression on his friend's face. Erza scowled, but didn't reply, choosing instead to look back at the cakes. Glancing between his friends who still had their faces buried in the menus, he sighed, tapping his fingers impatiently against the table. ' _This happens every time!_ ' he screamed to himself, running his hand across his limp hair. The most memorable of their rare outings together resulted in them getting nearly caught by one of the Anti-Magic Department teams, and the only way they escaped was by pure, unadultered luck. He stood, deciding to tell the waitress his order in case his friends would take an hour like they did the last time they ate out.

As if sensing his intent, the blonde— Lucy, he recalled— looked up and shot him a grin. "Ready to order?"

"Yep."

She looked to the side, back to where the others were sitting. "What about your friends?"

Gray sighed, sitting at one of the chairs next to him. "They take a long time." Lucy's mouth opened in understanding. "Well, anyways, I'll have the soup of the day in a bread bowl. And the ice cream sundae looks pretty good." Noticing that the kitchen, which he could see past the booth he was sitting in, was dark, he asked, "Is the cook not here?"

" _I_ can cook," she said, looking very offended.

Gray shook his head wildly, feeling his face heat up. "That's not what I meant to say—"

Lucy laughed again, sending him what he now dubbed her signature smile. "I know, I was pulling your leg." She stood, Gray mirroring her actions. "Should I get your friends' orders or do you want me to wait for a while?"

Gray glanced at his friends, and a bead of sweat rolled down his neck when he saw that they were _still_ looking at the menu, discussing their options amongst themselves. "Yeah, maybe you can wait."

Lucy grinned again before walking to the kitchen, the lights switching on. "I'm guessing you want me to start making the food so your friends can finally decide what to order."

"You hit the nail on the head," Gray confirmed, smiling back.

"You should really stop flirting with girls," Erza suddenly said from behind him, and Gray yelped, grabbing his chest in shock. "Juvia would be jealous."

Gray scoffed, but his cheeks were redder than the ketchup bottle at the end of the booth. "Did you finally decide on what to get?" he asked, ignoring her comment.

Erza shook her head and practically shoved the dessert section in his face. "Should I get the strawberry cake or the strawberry _short_ cake?"

"Did you even choose an entree?"

"The _cake_ is what's important, Gray."

"Of course," Gray drawled. "If you're so conflicted, just get both of them."

"You're right," Erza said, earning a disbelieving look from Gray. "Miss Lucy!"

Lucy poked her head out the door. "Yes? You have your order?"

"Yes; one strawberry crepe cake and one strawberry shortcake."

"Alrighty. What about the cat and the other man?"

As if on cue, Natsu popped up behind Erza, a wide grin on his face. He slammed a piece of paper with messy scrawls written haphazardly throughout on the booth, loudly proclaiming, " Happy and I would like all of these."

Faster than anyone could react, Erza intercepted the paper before it could get in Lucy's hands. Her eyes roved over the list, her eyebrow twitching dangerously as she moved down. "Natsu," she said with gritted teeth, "this is practically the entire menu."

Natsu stared at Erza blankly. "What's your point?"

"It means, _idiot_ , we won't be able to pay for all of it! It's way too expensive!" She waved the paper angrily.

Lucy quietly leaned over the booth, gently plucking the paper from Erza's hand. "Here's the deal," she said, reading over the list. "If you guys will help me clean up, I'll give you the entire meal for free."

The three mages gaped at the blonde in shock. Erza was the first to recover. "A-are you sure?"

"Of course! Besides, we need new ingredients for the rest of the week. I'm sure my boss wouldn't mind."

"Well, thank you," Erza said, awkwardly bowing her head slightly.

Lucy waved her hand, entering the kitchen again. "It's alright," she said. "Besides, I think we all need it." She paused, biting her lip nervously. She shifted on her feet and her eyes shifted between the three, barely landing on their profiles for a second. Finally, she took a deep breath. "That, and I know you're from Fairy Tail." Erza immediately drew her sword, her armor appearing over her civilian clothing. Natsu and Gray stood by her side, settling quickly into their defensive stances as Happy circled over them, ready to dive in in any given moment.

Lucy shook her head. "Wait, no please. I know who you are because I'm a mage, too! At least, I _want_ to be..."

Erza glared at the girl, ignoring her tired eyes and too-thin body, and threateningly placed her sword's tip against Lucy's throat. "Explain," she growled as her sword glinted dangerously in the low light.

* * *

"Oh, Miss Lucy!" a short, elderly lady exclaimed, her weathered eyes widening when she noticed the younger blonde standing in her doorway, the keys to her apartment in hand. "What brings you back to the complex so late at night?"

Lucy turned, her signature smile wide on her face as she greeted the older woman. "Hello, Mrs. Rina. I was just closing up shop when I ran into some of my friends from Hargeon." She gestured towards the trio standing behind her, dark hair peeking from the hats on their heads and faces half-hidden from the surgical masks they wore.

Mrs. Rina smiled at them warmly. If she found their stiff behavior and appearances odd, she spoke nothing of it. "Well, it's a good thing you guys didn't face any trouble along the way. Have a good night, sweeties." She paused before rummaging in the bag she held. "Oh! Before I forget…" Mrs. Rina pulled out a small pamphlet and handed it to the surprised blonde. "Since you're somewhat new to Magnolia, I figured you might want this to help you take your friends out for a fun time."

"Thank you so much, Mrs. Rina!" Lucy bowed in respect. Once the older woman was out of earshot, Lucy ushered the three mages into her apartment, the door closing behind them with a click.

Gray and Natsu immediately removed the masks that covered their faces and hats, revealing much more natural hair colors opposite of what theirs' was before. Happy flew from inside of Natsu's cloak and snuggled deep into his friend's unruly bed of hair.

Erza placed a small book— once a popular beauty enchantment for young mages and non-mages alike— on a nearby table, and the dark color of her hair melted away and revealed the signature bright hair reminiscent of her last name. "So, Lucy," Erza said, her dark eyes meeting Lucy's own. "Tell us... why do you insist on catering to our whims, despite the bounty our names hold?"

Lucy turned to them and took a deep breath. "Because I'm a mage too."

* * *

 **Estimated word count: 3000+**

 **And so begins Lucy's web of lies... Tell me what you guys think! Please, please review, as it boosts my will to write and also allows me to see if there are any plot holes or if I haven't covered a topic properly. Thanks for all the favorites and don't forget to leave a review! :)**

 **I also really need a beta for this.**


	3. Welcome to Fairy Tail

" _And don't you ever forget to look for kindness in everyone's hearts, Natsu dear." Little Natsu pouted when the white-haired woman patted him gently on his head, but he nevertheless latched onto the woman, soft giggles escaping his mouth as he nodded his head innocently, glad that she wasn't mad over his petty, one-sided fight with her younger ward, Wendy._

" _What nonsense are you spouting off to my son now, Grandeeney?" a voice roared, and an annoyed Igneel barged into the room, steam literally pouring out his nose. The woman gently pried Natsu from her person before meeting Igneel head on, all signs of the soft-spoken woman seconds ago gone._

" _Nonsense?" Grandeeney snapped back, the air around them slightly turning heavy as her anger mounted. "Igneel, I wouldn't call a little optimism nonsense!"_

 _Igneel's jaw dropped in surprise, and his entire countenance relaxed. "Oh," he said. He glanced down at his adopted son sheepishly. "Sorry about that, Nat."_

 _Natsu looked up at his father cluelessly. "What'd ya think she said, Dad?"_

 _Grandeeney smirked, cocking her hips as she drilled into Igneel's soul with her eyes. "What_ _ **did**_ _you think I said, Igneel?"_

 _Igneel huffed. "The war," he replied gruffly, and Grandeeney's arms fell._

 _Natsu frowned, looking between the two adults he looked up to the most. "War?" he repeated, his lips forming a cute pout only a child would be able to pull off. "There's a war?" He paused for a few seconds before innocently adding,"What's a war?"_

 _Grandeeney exchanged quick glances with Igneel, kneeling down to meet Natsu eye-level. "Natsu," she said gently. "Your father and I need to talk quickly. Do you want to play with Happy and Zeref while you wait?"_

 _Natsu brightened immediately at the mention of his best friend and older brother. "Okay!" he said happily and skipped out the door, the cautious stares of the two adults left unknown to the small child._

Natsu opened his eyes to a dark room, the image of his father and aunt melting back into a cloudy memory. He sighed, shifting away from Gray's cold-as-fuck body, who had gotten _way_ too close to him sometime over the night. Natsu glanced outside. The moon still hung high on the sky, its silvery light passing through the slivers of the curtains and windows.

It was so late that it was too early to be awake.

Natsu groaned quietly, his mind drifting back to Grandeeney's words. Kindness was a trait Natsu had a hard time showing in such trying times, especially to strangers who more or less rubbed him the wrong way. His eyes trailed to the lump in the corner; Lucy had insisted that Erza take her bed as it was the "proper way, after all." It was a kind gesture, but damn it, kindness was an easy characteristic to replicate, to fool others into trusting a person. That and something about Lucy was grating his nerves, but he had _no idea what._ It was confusing his brain, and his head hurt too much to think. Natsu groaned again, flipping over to his stomach. ' _Dammit,_ ' he thought. ' _Grandeeney would be so disappointed in me._ '

"Nazu?" a sleepy voice mumbled and he felt Happy stirring on his head. "Waz zat?" The cat sat up, rubbing sleep from his eyes. "Fish?" he mumbled, sniffing the air.

Natsu chuckled and gathered Happy in his hands. "None right now."

"You okay?" Happy frowned up at him. Natsu didn't reply, his eyes focusing on the Lucy-shaped lump. Happy's eyes followed his, and when he released a high-pitched chuckle, Natsu jumped. "Oh-ho-ho-ho, Natsuuuu, do you _liiiiike_ her?"

"No!" Natsu snapped, glaring at his friend. "I… there's just something _off_ about her."

"Off?" Happy repeated, his tiny eyebrows clustering together. "What do you mean?"

"She's too nice! She could be faking it, you know?"

"Ya know, I think you're rubbing off of Erza _way too much_ —"

"Happy?"

"Yeah?"

"Shut up, will you?"

Happy huffed, crossing his arms. "Fine! But really, I think you should give her the benefit of the doubt." He peered down to meet his friend's eyes. "When she was talking about her mom's death last night… Natsu, she looked so sad. It's hard for someone to fake pain of that intensity, especially since it seemed that she was _hiding_ it, Nat. You can't fake the pain of losing a loved parent like that, especially since you know how it feels." Natsu only sighed in response, running his hands through his hair as his version of petty revenge. Happy yelped, flying off of his hair to avoid being knocked over.

"I know," Natsu said. "She really did love and admire her mom. But there was something… she smelled weird, Happy. Her scent was changing and everything. I can't tell if she's lying, or if she's _really_ just that distressed."

"Then she's probably not," Happy said. The girl in question released a quiet sigh, shifting from her spot in the corner.

"She's waking up," Natsu said, and right on cue, the Lucy-shaped lump sat up, groaning and stretching like a cat. The girl blearily rubbed her eyes, looking around as she gained more bearing of her surroundings.

Blinking, her eyes landed on Natsu and Happy, who were looking at her curiously. "You're awake," she said and scrambled up quickly. "Hungry? I'll cook something up for you guys."

"Lucy." The girl paused and turned to Fiore's number one fugitive.

"Yes, Natsu?" Natsu didn't reply; instead he stood, slowly, and walked in her direction.

Perhaps he could do Grandeeney proud, Natsu thought as he stared her down. Perhaps he could begin by giving the girl who had shown him and his friends kindness during an unfair war trust, however so little it may be. He owed that much to Grandeeney.

He owed that much to his father.

Natsu exhaled, mustering determination from the absence of air in his chest, and he slowly raised his hand towards her, their eyes connecting before Lucy's eyes travelled to the proffered hand questioningly. "Join us," he said, and her eyes snapped back to his. "Join Fairy Tail."

* * *

When Lucy had told her fabricated story to the legendary faces of Fairy Tail, she had noted with a sinking heart Dragneel's unimpressed, almost suspicious countenance, and she wondered if she had already failed the first part of her mission. The story she told was sad, but not so much dripping with tragedy— _though if she was honest, tragedy was synonymous with her life—_ that one couldn't help but feel if it were fake; surely Dragneel hadn't pierced through the painful shroud of her manipulative words intended to turn them to her favor and seen the truth— or, rather, deceit— behind them.

So she was surprised and relieved at his offer, even genuinely smiling back at his attempt of a smile. "Okay," she said, taking his hand and sealing her mission.

Not soon after, Erza and Gray awoke to her plating their breakfast and Natsu already scarfing his down. Barely glancing up from his food, Natsu said, thankfully not with a full mouth, "Hurry up, guys. We're gonna go to Gramps ASAP."

Erza took in Lucy's attire, clean face, and washed hair, and her eyes widened. She turned to Natsu, her eyes shocked. "We're taking her?" Gray choked on his food, his eyes widening comically as he stared at Natsu.

Natsu nodded calmly, handing Happy the rest of his fish. "Of course," he said, and both Gray and Erza couldn't find anything else to say after his succinct answer. The rest of breakfast was eaten in silence, leaving Lucy enough time to plan her next course of action and, more specifically, her story?

What idiosyncrasies set apart Lucy Ashley, aspiring Celestial Spirit mage, from Lucy Heartfilia, prominent enigma of the Fiore government?

Lucy mulled over Lucy Ashley's story, using her banal history to form her character. Close with her mother, Ashley would no doubt hold the same ideals and characteristics as any other Celestial Spirit mages of the past: upholding integrity, hardworking, and endless kindness.

Lucy Ashley had lost her mother at the age of seven, with her father an unwilling participant in her life, much like Lucy Heartfilia. Lucy Ashley knew the streets of Crocus and cities of Fiore like the back of her hand, just like Lucy Heartfilia. Lucy Ashley fought tooth and nail to survive in an unforgiving world for the sake of living, just like Lucy Heartfilia. Lucy Ashley had been lucky enough to find anchors in her life that drove her to a path of goodness and integrity. Lucy Heartfilia had none.

With a chill, Lucy realized that Lucy Ashley could've been her, and Lucy Heartfilia could've been Lucy Ashley.

Still, the affable expression remained in her face, betraying nothing of her inner thoughts and realization. Her eyes remained on the dishes she was currently washing, but her ears were open and alert, zeroing in on the soft murmurs of the infamous trio as Happy happily fluttered above her, occasionally chattering and obviously attempting to distract her in case she— Lucy Ashley— accidentally overheard what they were saying. With the skills and focus gained from her intensive training and experiences of serving within the Fiore government and war, Lucy was able to pick out part of their conversation, regardless of the mindless chattering of the exuberant cat.

She gently arranged wet dishes in her dishwasher and cupboards, pondering over who 'Gramps'— as Natsu and Gray so affectionately called him— was and now aware that Gurney had sent his men to the pub, most likely as a ruse to see whether or not she had completed the first part of her mission, that distrustful cad. She understood that they had just returned from a long mission of six weeks, and that they had been worried sick of the possibility of getting caught— though realistically, such a thing wouldn't happen until Gurney somehow gained more damning evidence (specifically their identities and _existence_ ) of the underground guild to present to the rest of the Council.

Lucy quickly wiped her hands on the soft towel hanging above her sink when she noticed the three separate, determined looks on their faces. Erza turned to her, her face wiped clean of all emotions. "Miss Lucy," she said. "Let's go."

Half an hour later, Lucy found herself standing in front of the building from the photo Gurney had said was Fairy Tail's headquarters. It seemed to be in better shape, and the building emitted a warm aura that was impossible to be captured in a photograph. She found herself liking it, having only experienced the warmth one would associate with homes in six short years of her life, half of which she hadn't even remembered.

Natsu slammed open the beaten doors of the Dragon's Head, and Lucy couldn't help but wince as the jambs quivered dangerously from the force Natsu had used. "We're back, dumbasses!" Natsu roared, ripping off his hood dramatically and spreading his arms wide like the wings of a dragon.

The patrons of the pub jumped, several of whom immediately settled into fighting stances before relaxing once they saw who, exactly, had surprised them so loudly. Lucy watched as the pretty bartender from behind the bar slowly stood, a dark expression on her gentle face. "Natsu," she said lowly— so lowly, in fact, that it surprised Lucy that her voice even managed to reach them from across the room. "We _just_ repaired that a few weeks ago."

Natsu grinned, undeterred— or perhaps more plausible, not registering— the dark aura the silver-haired girl was emitting. Others between the two, however, noticed and were slowly inching away from the terrifying girl and oblivious mage, no doubt sensing the impending eruption. "It's all good. Laki can just make another one." At that, a bespectacled girl with hair the shade of a bouquet of lilacs emitted a cry of indignation, but Natsu went on, "Where's Gramps?" He grinned widely and pulled out a sizable pouch from his large cloak and swung it in a tantalizing manner. "We've got some money!"

The bartender strode forward and snatched the pouch from his hands. "Good. You're paying for that door." She pointedly ignored Natsu's gobsmacked face and looked over his shoulder, eyes widening when she finally noticed Lucy.

Lucy shifted on her feet, allowing a tiny bit of unease to show as everyone stared at her. ' _Lucy Ashley, I'm Lucy Ashley,_ ' she thought, the words becoming a mantra as seconds passed. "Hello," she said softly, a half-smile twitching her lips, and she held up a hand in greeting.

The white-haired beauty stepped closer to her, her eyes narrowed as she perused the blonde. "Hello," she replied carefully before giving a questioning look to Erza, who nodded briefly to Natsu. She focused again on Lucy and smiled, her entire countenance relaxing. "My name's Mirajane, but I prefer being called Mira." She paused. "I'm assuming you're here because you've heard about us?"

Lucy nodded, her head feeling a bit light. "Yes. I—"

Mira grabbed her hand and pulled her along as murmurs rose around the guild. "Good. You're coming with me." Mira called over her shoulder, "Warren! Come on, we've got a new member to initiate."

Lucy slammed shields around her thoughts almost immediately when a slim man with straight black hair silently moved towards the pair. Warren Rocko. Used his telepathy as a form of communication with other Fairy Tail members across the country. Escaped prison and damn-near driving the prison guards insane with his telepathy. His telepathy, Lucy knew, was a huge asset for the guild, and what better way to trust potential members than to literally see if what they said was true?

Inside the deep recesses of her robes, Lucy fingered the cool glass vial of the liquid Gurney had given her. She had already drunk a vial after breakfast, and she hoped with all she had that the serum would work. It would be suspicious if Warren wouldn't be able to read her thoughts, but even more so if he found out that what she said was fake.

"Master?" Mira knocked upon a worn, wooden door, her voice soft but carrying over the soft murmurs behind it. "Natsu brought a new recruit."

The talking stopped, and Lucy couldn't help but wince when the doors slammed open to reveal a short woman with long, flowing pale hair. Damn, did everyone in the guild have to slam doors open every time they had news?

"A new recruit?" the woman cried excitedly. "Oh, goodness, Makarov, this is wonderful!"

Mirajane gave out a small gasp before bowing deeply in respect, Warren following her actions. "Madame Mavis! I- I was not aware that—"

"Mirajane, my dear, it's quite alright. Makarov and I were done anyways, and besides…" Her green eyes slid over to the lone, standing figure. "...we have much more important matters to discuss, I believe." Lucy lowered her eyes, staring instead at Mavis' small feet, refusing to meet the woman's eyes.

 _Lucy Ashley, she is Lucy Ashley._

A gentle hand grabbed her own, and Lucy jerked her head up in surprise. "My dear, why don't you come in?" Mavis asked gently, widening the door and gesturing for them to enter. "And do not be scared. We are all a family here, and considering that Natsu himself thought you fit to join us, you are— will be— as well."

"Th-thank you, ma'am." Lucy hesitantly looked up. The office was large and spacious, papers lining the walls in a seemingly-haphazard manner, and upon closer inspection, Lucy found that she was unable to read its contents. A rectangular table sat on one corner of the room, a blank sheet on it being held down by a large crystall ball. A lacrima, Lucy realized, and her heart skipped a beat.

Originally widespread across the nation, the lacrima became near-obsolete ever since the war, after Gurney and his men ravaged the land to rid the nation of any magical trace. Of course, they didn't fully succeed, as a few underground magical guilds still thrived to this day, Fairy Tail being the largest and most obnoxiously successful. Their campaign, however, _had_ left Fiore bereft of most magic, lacrimas included. Considering their communicative properties and inconspicuous nature, however, it honestly should not have been surprising to see that some might have survived.

' _That must be how Fairy Tail kept tabs on Gurney_ ,' Lucy realized, and her heart sank. Surely that meant they saw her...?

She briefly glanced at Warren, Mavis, and the old man behind the desk, and, detecting no changes in expression, allowed herself to relax just a fraction. ' _If that were the case_ ,' Lucy thought, ' _then they would've recognized and killed me on the spot._ '

Mavis set a porcelain cup before Lucy, steam wisping over the hot, amber liquid inside. "Tea?"

"No thank you, ma'am."

"Just Mavis is fine, dear. Ma'am just makes me feel old."

"But my dear, you're older than _I_ am!" The old man chortled, slapping his desk in mirth.

Mavis cleared her throat and shot the elderly man behind the desk a dark look. "Makarov…"

The old man grinned back before hopping from his seat. Lucy's mouth dropped when his head and entire body disappeared, and her wide eyes followed him in disbelief as he made his way towards her. "Nice to meet you," he said pleasantly. "First off, I would like to apologize on behalf of Natsu and his stupidity."

"He's not that stupid, Master," Mirajane interjected, rolling her eyes. Lucy's eyes nearly bulged from her sockets. _Master?_ Master as in, head of the guild, leader of the infamous Fairy Tail? _Him?_ That little shorty?

Warren coughed an odd, strangled sort of cough.

"Yes well," Makarov said flippantly. "If he himself recruited you, that means that you made quite an impression on his tiny, tiny brain. Truly an impressive feat." Mirajane sighed softly as Mavis sent Makarov yet another withering glare. "What's your name, child?"

"Lu-lucy," Lucy stuttered, feeling oddly scrutinized under Makarov's gaze.

"Well, Lucy, you are aware of what Fairy Tail is, yes? We may be a family, but we are a dangerous one, especially in a society where magic is frowned upon. Are you willing to bear our crux and our mission?"

"Of course," Lucy whispered. "I've always wanted to be part of a family."

Makarov stood back, a pensive look in his eyes as he studied the blonde. "Very well," he said pleasantly. "Warren, Mirajane, you both may leave." Mirajane bowed briefly, quietly shutting the door behind her.

"But Master!" Warren said, refusing to leave. "We need to know if she's trustworthy enough!"

"Mavis can do it, my child," Makarov said. " _You_ need to rest. Heaven knows how many jobs you've taken on these past days." Warren wilted before nodding and exiting the room, coolly shouldering past Lucy. As his footsteps receded, Makarov turned to Lucy, his face firm. "Miss Lucy, first off, Mavis and I want to thank you for risking your life by taking Natsu and the others in. It takes an incredible amount of courage to brave danger and take well-known fugitives into your house and providing them food and shelter." He paused. "However, it is because of that danger we are reluctant to immediately allow anyone into our guild. Though you have shown incredible kindness and courage, we have yet to establish a trustful relationship."

"I would do anything," Lucy said, "to prove to you that you can trust me."

Mavis smiled at the blonde. "Very well," she said. "Master Makarov, I've received word from Sabertooth that three of their members carrying out a mission are missing, and they want Team Natsu to find them before Gurney and his men would. It's a covert mission this time; no attention to either guilds whatsoever."

Mavis pinned Lucy with a look. "I don't know your abilities, my child, if you even have any. I know that Erza said that you had no proper training and that you had lost your keys necessary for your magic, but know that I still trust you nevertheless." She raised her eyebrows at Makarov, who had given a small cry of indignation. "If you help Team Natsu and succeed, you will be inducted to Fairy Tail and become a part of the team. And should you fail… well, I'm afraid that means you're out."


End file.
